“Wha-“ Andrew exclaimed

Alex strained to keep his hold around Feletis’ neck. For a scrawny old Elf, the Mage was really strong. He kneed Feletis in the back of the leg and bent the Mage back. He might be alive, but he didn’t feel so alive. It was like he had just woken up. His eyes were still heavy, things were still happening in slow motion, and he felt like he was still dreaming.

“How are you?” Andrew’s jaw was open. He was staring at the pair struggling.

Alex tightened his hold on the thrashing Elf. He wasn’t going to be able to hold on much longer. “Help?”

“Oh.” Andrew ran up and punched Feletis in the chest. The blow took some of the fight out of the old Mage.

Alex found his grip. He was pretty sure that he had the choke hold correct now. He could feel the Elf’s pulse beating strongly against his arm.

“Get the stick!” Alex grunted.

Andrew turned around and ran over to the staff. He pulled it out of the ground and twirled it in front of him. He had always had a fascination with bow staves, which was something Alex was grateful for at the moment.

Feletis stopped struggling and fell limp in Alex’s grip. He thought about letting the Elf go, but he wasn’t sure if it was a trap or not. The Mage’s pulse was still beating strong against his arm. He didn’t want to kill him. He only wanted to stop Feletis from hurting them.

Alex started to release his grip when he noticed the dome was still intact. He wondered if it would dissipate if Feletis was only unconscious.

Feletis’ neck quivered and Alex tried to tighten his grip. What had been skin a few seconds before was now starting to sprout yellow fur. Bones crackled and repositioned. Alex struggled to keep his hold on this new anatomy. He wasn’t sure what was happening.

Claws dug into his legs just above his knees.

“Ahhh!” Alex screamed. He involuntarily loosened his hold.

Sharp teeth tore into his right arm. That was all the pain that Alex could take. There was something about the bite as well. He tried to release Feletis, but the old Mage flipped him over his shoulder first. He coughed as he hit the ground. Breath didn’t want to fill his lungs. His head hurt and his arm was starting to go numb. Like there was some sort of poison in the bite.

His eyes focused on Feletis and his remaining breath fled from his lungs. The Elder’s face had transformed into a cat’s. Yellow fur with black specs covered his body. Even his eyes were feral, gold slits promised death to whatever they were focused on.

“Stupid humans-s-s,” Feletis hissed, “You sh-should’ve stayed dead.” He held out his right hand and claws the length of his fingers sprouted from it.

Alex didn’t want to feel those claws again. He gulped as much air as he could. He scooted backward, but he wasn’t going to outrun the cat. His legs were too weak to stand and leaking blood onto the ground.

Feletis caught up to him in two steps and raised his claws. Andrew was a few steps behind him, but it wasn’t going to be fast enough. Alex closed his eyes and crossed his left arm in front of him. His right was refusing to obey. He was about to die a second time. But maybe he could at least be a shield so his brother could get in a good hit.

There was a scraping noise like nails on a chalkboard, then the meaty thwack of wood hitting flesh. Alex opened his eyes.

Feletis was turned away. Blood was running down the cat’s jaw. He spit out blood and then turned towards the brothers. Hatred burned out of the gold slits. Alex couldn’t feel much in his right arm or legs, but he felt the gooseflesh from that glare.

Alex saw the barrier in front of him. There was blue light hanging in the air six inches in front of his face. Three long claw marks were torn out of the light. He reached out and touched the light. It was cold but welcoming. He knew he had made it, but he wasn’t sure how.

“Venificus-s-s.” Feletis hissed, “Interes-s-sting.”

The tear marks closed as Alex focused on the shield. He kept his hand on the light. He could feel every part of it like it was an extension of his hand. There were words he needed to say, but he didn’t know them. He hoped that sheer will would be enough.

Feletis stalked up to the shield and punched it. His nails scratched the shield, but this time it was stronger and they weren’t able to dig through it.

“You cannot win.” Feletis hissed, “Drop the sh-shield.”

“No.” Alex tried to sound strong, but it was draining him too much. He felt Andrew behind him. It was reassuring, but it gave him focus. Feletis wanted to kill Andrew. He wasn’t going to let that happen.

Feletis placed both of his hands on the shield. Black ink dripped out of his hands and spread across the shield. It was light enough that he could still see the Cat-Mage but dark enough that it turned the color of the shield.

It didn’t just turn the color of the shield. The shield got colder. It was no longer welcoming. Alex felt like he had just walked into a cemetery. His hand was beginning to turn gray. Even the air was getting colder.

The staff shot over his head, but it bounced off of the shield. Feletis couldn’t get in, but they couldn’t get out either.

Sweat began to bead on Alex’s eyebrows. He was barely able to think about anything except the shield. The magic that Feletis was pouring into it was overwhelming. He set his jaw, as he pushed back. Feletis might be stronger, but he wasn’t going to lose.

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“Let him through.” Andrew said

Alex pulled his focus tighter just enough that he was able to squeak out a sentence, “Are you sure?”

“I can’t fight him like this.” Andrew moved to Alex’s right, “And you can’t hold on much longer.”

Alex nodded and dropped the shield. He rolled to his left as Andrew swung through vanishing darkness. The staff connected with Feletis’ face again, but this time Andrew didn’t stop with one hit. Andrew launched into a full combo and drove the Mage back to the edge of the dome.

Alex flexed his left arm and watched the fight move further away from him. The cold chill from the dark magic was gone, and with it the gooseflesh as well. His right arm was still numb, but he was getting feeling back into his legs. His legs wobbled as he stood up. He wouldn’t be running anytime soon, but he was going to move.

Alex looked over at the fight. Andrew was a good forty feet away at the edge of the dome. It looked like his brother was getting the better of the mage. Then he saw Feletis grin. It was like that stupid cat from Alice and Wonderland. All teeth and all creepy. Feletis had wanted Andrew to move them away. They were too far away for him to shield any attacks.

“Andrew!” Alex screamed as he hobbled towards his brother, “Run!”

Andrew ignored Alex and swung the staff again. This time Feletis caught it with his right hand. His left hand punched out and his claws sank into Andrew’s stomach. The staff thudded on the ground as Andrew fell backward.

Alex tried to move faster, but Feletis’ hand was pointing in his direction. A black bolt shot out of the cat’s hand. Alex crossed his left arm in front of him and focused on creating a shield. The bolt hit the frail blue light, but it didn’t stop the force behind it. It knocked him off balance, which was enough to tip him over. Alex caught himself with his left arm. He looked over at Andrew. His brother was choking and holding his bleeding stomach. Feletis stepped over Andrew. White claws gleamed over his head.

“NO!” Alex shouted

A huge wave of water crashed over the dome. The dome began to crack, then pieces began to fall off of the dome. Water shot in, destroying the dome and sweeping them all away. It spread them across the lawn.

“Enough!” Feletis screamed. He looked like a drowned cat.

A barrage of black bolts shot out of Feletis’ hand.

Alex stumbled forward. He managed to get in front of his brother and put up a barrier, but it shattered under the assault. The mental pain dropped him to his knees.

A blast of water drenched Feletis. Alex looked around to see if Mettan was close, but it wasn’t his teacher that was fighting the rogue Elder. It was his brother.

The Triftion stood up and glared at the soaked cat. “It’s over.”

Feletis shed his purple robes, standing in front of the Triftion in only black shorts. “Not yet.”

Andrew drenched Feletis again, “You can’t use magic when you’re wet. It’s over.”

Feletis looked over at Alex. There was something feral in the Elder’s eyes. The black specks that had started dulling the gold vanished as Feletis stared at him. A stare that he had seen hundreds of times growing up. It was the look a cat had just before they pounced.

Alex turned and tried to run, but he was only able to stumble, which brought him to his knees.

Fire, dirt, and even air rose up to block Feletis’ path, but the cat bent around each barrier, never slowing down.

Rough hands closed around his throat and jerked him off of his feet. Feletis was holding him out in front of him as a shield.

Alex watched as a perfect quartet of the four elements raced toward him. He fought the urge to close his eyes. He grabbed for the hand on the back of his neck, but he couldn’t pry off the vice grip.

Alex could feel the heat from the fire. It was inches away from him, then it died. The water splashed to the ground and the air quieted. The earth dropped with a thud.

“Good.” Feletis hissed, “I have your attention.”

Andrew had both of his fists raised and his jaw set. Through the tear in the uniform, Alex could see Andrew’s stomach. Instead of marks, the skin was smooth. Like it had never been broken. Somehow Andrew had used his powers to heal his body. Alex wanted to marvel at the extent of his brother’s powers, but the popping in his neck demanded his attention.

“Let him go.” Andrew ordered

“No.” Feletis said,

“You told me that he didn’t have to die.” Andrew began circling around

Feletis turned so he could keep Alex in between them, “He doesn’t.”

Andrew stopped moving, “Then let him go.”

“After you die.”

Fear gripped Alex’s heart. It wasn’t worth his brother’s death. Not even if he had to pay with his own life again.

“Don’t do it!” Alex choked, “Get out of here!”

“Shut up!” Feletis shook Alex.

Alex wished that he was stronger, but his body was like a rag doll in the hands of the Cat-mage. He tightened his grip on Feletis’ hand. It didn’t help much, but it took some of the pressure off.

“Stop!” Andrew’s voice was angry, but he was defeated. He lowered his hands, “You’ll let him go if I surrender?”

Feletis nodded.

Andrew dropped his hands, “Let him go. You can have me.”

“No!” Alex gurgled. Feletis was going to kill him anyway. He could feel it.

“I’m not going to watch you die!” Andrew brushed a tear from his eye, “Not again.”

Feletis spun Alex around. The glare in his eyes chased all hope out of Alex’s mind. The Elder didn’t even have to speak. Alex couldn’t have spoken if he had wanted to.

“Let him go.” Andrew repeated, “I said you could have me.”

“I don’t trust you.” Feletis looked over Alex at Andrew, “I will let him go once you are dead.”

“Then kill me.” Andrew spread his arms out, “I won’t block it.

Fear bubbled through Alex. Adrenaline chased away his paralysis as he felt Feletis building magic for the next attack.

“You aren’t Triftion enough for the mantle.” The Elder hissed

Alex had to stop it, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t move his legs. He couldn’t move his right arm. The Water around them wouldn’t help. Feletis would snap his neck before the water could get close enough to start drowning him. All he had was a buzzing in the back of his mind. The same feeling he had felt when he had been fighting Alicia. It was the same feeling that he had felt when he had made the shield. Alex grabbed for it. It was hot, like glass on a summer day. Coarse like a wool blanket. And it was begging to be released.

Alex sent the magic down his left arm as he grabbed Feletis’ mouth. He prayed that it would work as he snarled, “Eat this!”

The force of the blast tore him out of Feletis’ grip. A trail of electricity followed him as he flew backward. Soft dirt rose up and caught him, lowering him gently to the ground.

Sparks danced around Feletis’ teeth as he fell to his knees. Andrew stepped around Alex and motioned at Feletis. Two rocks shot out of the ground and wedged under the cat’s armpits, propping the Mage up.

“You don’t think I’m Triftion enough?” Andrew pulled both of his arms in front of him, “TRIFTION THIS!”

Fire roared out of Andrew’s hands. The inferno washed over Feletis and began circling around the Old Mage’s body. There weren’t any screams. Alex knew there wasn’t anything left to kill. Feletis had been dead the moment his magic blast had detonated.

Alex sank into the dirt. His eyes refused to stay open any longer. He was spent. It was time for a nap.